Omaha daily bee., 1887-07-02
THE AMERICAN BEVERAGE.
How Soda Water Is Prepared For the sh-
cling Fountains.
SOME GORGEOUS STRUCTURES
The Health Giving Qualities of the
Beverage Asserted - Cause of
Fountain Explosions - Jumbo
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES al Invested.
The Cause of ENnlostons.

son Of the year, and yet this is but the
aftermath of still more busy period.
The reporter was aware that this branch
of business was very extensive one in
this city, but had no idea OF its real mag.
nitude until he visited big establish
ment. AS the result of this visit lot of
interesting statistics and general infor.
nation regarding the extent Of the bust.
ness was obtained. Said manufacturer:
| Few people outside of the trade itself are
aware of the importance which the busi-
ness has assumed Those who have an
idea that the habit of drinking soda has
fallen of among the American people are
| greatly mistaken, for instead of this it is
| growing more and more popular every
year. AS the demand for this carbonated
water increases, so also does the manu-
facture of dispensing apparatus increase
in Importance improvements are being
made in this respect each year, and the
character of the apparatus grows more
and more elaborate. At the present time
the number of soda fountains in Boston
cannot be less than 6.7O0. The average
cost of these will be about 5000, and they
range in price from 81 900 to Sc, 900 each
| One of the most expensive in the city is
worth between $1,000 and $4,000.
| EXPENSIVE FOUNTAINS.
There are two Others on Washington
street that could be mentioned that cost
So 600 and $4,000 each respectively. We
have orders for fountains of all grades,
not only from every part of the United
States, but all over the world. Last year
was the busiest we ever experienced, but
this seasons business has been nearly
double that, and up to date we have sent
out about 4,50) fountains.
| OF late prejudice in favor OF glass
for containing syrups has grown up,
although great many still prefer the
pure block-tin. Several attempts have
been made from time to time to throw
soda water into disrepute on account of
it's alleged unhealthfulness, but they
have been unsuccessful, for it has been
proved beyond all question that there Is
absolutely nothing deleterlous in it, and
that 1t cannot possibly be harmful, except
when kept in improper vessels.
| This blOck-tln which is used ls not the
common timed sheet iron, but the pure
metal, absolutely non corrosive. 1t re-
| sembles lead great deal, but has moth
| ing in common with that metal. 1t is
the only substance through which soda
water can be safely drawn, and all soda
| pipes are either made of or lined with it.
| In former days the soda fountains in
use were all comparatively small ones,
placed across the counter, but they are
now almost exclusively placed next the
| wall. This gives chance for n much
| more elaborate fountain. Formerly the
| syrup jars Of soda fountain were all
| placed in an upright position; now they
are made of glass in the shape of wedges,
and lie horizontally, being pulled in and
| out like draws. The new system is by
| fa hn hast nj q hattnr flow and InSS
| chance for the collection of sediment, as
well as atlordng room for very much
| larger cooler. This cooler consists of a
system of inverted saucers of copper
| covered with block tin, and containing
little Y.shaped pipes, which regulate the
flow of water and gas. A coil of block.
tin pipe underlies this cell system, and
the result is that an intense and equitable
GOODNESS is given to the soda passing
through. All the outward metallic fix
| lures of the fountain are OF brass or block
tin silver plated.
| BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES.
| Some of the pieces of apparatus sent
out nowadays are beautiful architectural
structures, combining the skill of the ar
tist and the very best of mechanics. They
are made of almost every conceivable
kind of marble, and in some cases are fit
ted with massive French plate--glass mir
|
| of them. All sorts Of scriptural orna-
mentations are INDUCED in, and even
| terra-cotta friezes are inserted in some of
| them. There are many different varie-
| ties of marble in use, both domestic and
imported, and most of them are very eX-
pensive. The white Italian is the com
| mOnest kind used, but white is rather
going out of fashion now, and colored
marbles are becoming more popular.
| The most widely used is the Tennessee
marble, which is very beautiful stone and
as expensive as many of the imported
varieties. The most popular foreign mar
BILE is the Formosa C'the beautifully a
stone of pretty purple-brown hue slightly
marked and cloudcd,no two shades being
alike.
The Mexican onyx is the most beautiful
| and most expensive of all, and is worth
twenty-five cents pound in the block.
Jasper is also popular, perhaps because
| it is suggestive of the New Jerusalem,
! and coral marble, from the Pacific islands,
| is also much in favor. We also get a
| good many fine varieties from Algeria,
but most of the foreign marbles come
| from Italy America, | should add, also
| produces an excellent black marble.
| MAKING THE BEVERAGE.
| Now, if you will come down to the
| basement with me | will show you how
we manufacture the soda water The
big cylindrical machines you see here are
what are called the generators. They
are made of cast iron, and consist OF
three compartments or chambers. The
largest of the three contain marble dust
and water, from which the carbonic acid
is obtained. The next chamber contains
su.phuric acid, the purpose of which is TO
liberate the carbon in the marble dust.
The third chamber is what we call the
| purifying one, and is hlled with water,
| This removes all the sulphuric acid from
the carbon and gas, and makes it abso-
| lutely pure and harmless. Neither mar
BILE dust nor sulphuric acid enter into the
sO.called soda, but only wholesome and
beneficial carbonic acid gas, which oc-
ours in large quantities in variou car
Donates, limestone and marble beng the
most common form. One firm in thu
city have several Jumbo" generators,
which are capable of filling 100 fountains
at a time. or quantity equal to 10000
glasses of soda. After being generated,
the carbonlc acid gas is taken through
flexible rubber pipes to the portable foun'
tains.
These are made either of steel or cop
per, and are familiar objects to all,
whether soda drinkers or not These YES
sells have been previously filled two
thirds full of water, which is violently
| hn tar m fak